Anchor
by Sauro
Summary: Oneshot: We all know the stories of the successful trainers. The glamour, the excitement of that lucky 1%. But what about the remaining 99%, those who can't make it, those who fail?


**Typical disclaimer: **I don't own Pokémon. Pokémon belongs to Nintendo.

**So yeah, a quick oneshot, exploring the life of someone who doesn't make it in the Pokémon biz. The story's universe is the same as that of Clueless, so, if in doubt, consult that. :P**

**Hopefully you'll enjoy this story! :) Please, rate and review!**

**-UPDATED: Now with less typos! :D**

_There are no supreme saviours_

_Neither God, nor Caesar, nor tribune._

_Producers, let us save ourselves,_

_Decree the common salvation._

An old, discoloured van sped along the Kanto M6 motorway. It was yellow, rusting in places, and with the paint peeling off. One of its headlights was smashed, and it was seriously dented in places. One of the doors was smashed in, and the door's window was cracked. But, ugly and unkempt as it was, the van kept moving proudly.

Inside this van there was three pokémon trainers. Daniel James, 25, was behind the wheel. He was tall, with long, dark brown hair, and thin as a stick. He was wearing a carved wooden sword hung from a string as a necklace. His wrists were full of various different bracelets made of wood and string. He was wearing an old, probably second hand sweater, a videogame t-shirt, and a pair of jeans. His long hair was tied in a ponytail so he could watch the road unimpeded. He wore a pair of rimless glasses.

To Daniel's left was Jessica Williams, 23. She was short, with black, sleek, but unkempt hair, and pale-white skin. She was simply wearing an old, but well cared plain black shirt and dark blue jeans. She wasn't attractive, but she wasn't ugly either. She was the kind of girl who was confident about herself, and great to hang around with. Unlike Daniel, she wasn't wearing much in the way of jewellery, with only a single friendship bracelet adorning her wrist.

Finally, passed out in the back was Peter Jaye, 28. He also had long, dirty blonde hair, and a shaggy long beard to go along with it. He was also wearing a second hand sweater, a plain green t-shirt, and light blue, ripped jeans. The ripping was slight (only a small coin sized hole here and there) and it was clear the ripping was from age rather than a fashion statement. He was better built than Daniel, but his appearance was less refined... whereas Daniel had some symmetry in his thinness and somewhat consistent and groomed appearance, Peter had a rather distinct body odour, long, dirty nails, and was pale white. He was passed out after his little adventure with psilocybin berries the night before.

These three were pokémon trainers, in the strictest sense. They still participated in battles, Daniel and Jessica still entered contests from time to time, and they still entered pokémon tournaments. Each year, they all competed at the Indigo League, and Daniel and Jessica would compete in the Grand Festival. They needed money for food and to keep that van going, after all. But they didn't train as hard as they did before... they didn't travel on foot, each day a new adventure... they didn't hold any hopes. They knew their Pokémon careers were over. They weren't young anymore, they weren't promising. They'd fallen through the gaps, and, let's face it... the money they made wasn't much anymore... they still had to take the odd jobs here and there as they journeyed through Kanto and Johto, almost as if thanks to inertia if nothing else.

Everyone knows the real money in Pokémon comes from televised matches... something usually reserved for the young and promising or the famous trainers of Kanto... not three misfits who always came too short when it truly mattered... three trainers who had briefly enjoyed success, only to see it fade (like most trainers do) as it became evident they wouldn't move much further up the skill ladder. They weren't interesting anymore... the money dried up. And they were left performing odd jobs and competing in all sorts of tournaments and contests... away from the eye of the Pokémon League and the media. During the League or Grand Festival, so many trainers competed, their matches were simply not televised. A lot more interesting, promising trainers to show off, in any case.

Daniel, Jessica and Peter were used to the nomadic life, but they knew that this could not go on forever. Like everyone else, the 99% who failed, they'd have to find jobs eventually and 'settle in'. No more adventures. Daniel would never get to visit Hoenn, or Sinnoh, or faraway Unova.

They were returning from Saffron to their home city of Vermillion, where they shared a flat. They had all participated in a tournament in Saffron, which they lost. There was only a couple of miles left to go... they could have taken the train, but Peter had hooked up a last minute 'party' and insisted they take the van, as this party was in the suburbs. Peter had been confident they would win the tournament and the £500 prize money... but they had been defeated by a bunch of rich pokémon enthusiasts. Those people weren't even genuine.

And thus, hungover after their alcohol and drug fuelled frenzy last night, the group slowly made its way towards Vermillion, stopping to fill up the van with petrol on the way. £30, plus another £40 they had already spent on the way to Saffron... Daniel knew they should've used the train. That would've saved them thirty quid, plus they could've slept on the way.

Peter stirred, but did not wake, as the Vermillion skyline approached. They lived in the outward, poorer suburbs of Vermillion, so there wasn't much time left to their journey. In more ways than one.

The trio had originally met up almost 5 years ago, at the Pokémon Centre outside of Mt. Moon. Daniel, back then, was on his second year of 'roughing it'... living in the wild with his pokémon while growing stronger and more experienced, awaiting the right time to challenge the gyms. Jessica was barely starting on her pokémon journey, and she was attempting the 'shock and awe' approach... do the Gym Run, challenge the gyms, train as hard as you can, and start your career young. Peter was an experienced and capable trainer, and after losing to the Viridian Gym (his last badge before the League), he had spent some time backpacking across Johto before returning to Kanto to 'wrap things up'. The three became travelling partners, and quickly conquered the stage and the gyms, promising to destroy all that opposed them at the league.

Then 5 years passed, in the blink of an eye...

Daniel and Jessica hadn't spoken throughout their return journey, and Daniel knew why. They had kind of needed to win that tournament. It was winter... and everyone knew nothing Pokémon League sanctioned happened during winter... as an excuse to give gym leaders time to rest, and trainers time to train. This meant to more chances of making money.

Worst of all, Peter was on his last £30. There was no way he'd make it to spring... and Jessica and Daniel weren't exactly rich. Jessica only had £200... barely enough to make it until spring. What was worse was that, without Peter chipping in... paying the rent would become a lot harder. It was truly a sinking boat. Daniel looked at Jessica from the corner of his eye... she pretended to be unconcerned, but deep in her eyes, he saw worry, and sadness.

Daniel parked in front of their building, killed the engine, grabbed his backpack (full of his pokéballs), and, without further word, headed up the stairs into their flat. Talk could come later.

Daniel entered his room. It was exactly as he left it... peeling paint... dusty, with an old desktop computer sitting on a shabby desk he found dumped on the sidewalk. Unmade bed. A half-eaten bowl of chow-mein from the takeaway place lay on the bedside table. An old telly was in front of his bed... and a gaming console was attached to it.

Daniel booted up his PC, and checked his bank statement. He had £1000 on his savings account... an amount he'd earned when he got his fifth ribbon and thus entry to the Grand Festival. Ribbon contests always paid well... but once you got your five ribbons, you couldn't compete anymore. You were supposed to compete in non-ribbon contests for cash prizes, and train up for the Grand Festival.

Daniel had jealously kept these £1000 pounds a secret from everyone. They were supposed to be there for when he finally realised his dream and headed for Sinnoh. So he had never touched them, and he had never mentioned them.

Daniel was also an accomplished computer programmer... but he had ignored that talent when he decided he wanted to go for training, at 18. He had set off on his journey... he did not regret that. But now, he could maybe buy a proper computer, and get back into the software business... it was booming, and he needed to take a course on his life.

Daniel also checked his bookmarks... a trip to Sinnoh... his life long dream... £950 pounds.

He had a choice. Settle down... get himself a proper computer with the Sinnoh money, and accept he wasn't getting anywhere with his current life. The computer? £950 pounds.

Or... he could hoist anchors... buy himself a ticket to Sinnoh, sell the van (at most he'd get some £400 quid for it, useful while he got his bearings in that country), and try again... one more time... one last time. Maybe he'd have more luck overseas... he'd certainly try harder.

His journey with Jessica and Peter was finished, of that he was certain... Jessica was probably looking for a job right now, and Peter was still passed out on his van... hallucinating, probably.

He also knew that once you leave pokémon training, you can never come back. Badges and ribbons expire if you miss a Pokémon League tournament or Grand Festival, respectively. Once his choice was made, there was no turning back.

Should he cast his anchor, or should he hoist it?

After all, the £1000 pounds were from his savings account... his checking account had the sad sum of £100 quid... he wasn't the only one running out of money. He had to do something, that's for sure.

Daniel steeled himself for the decision he was about to take... and then proceeded to purchase a certain item from the Internet. An item worth £950 pounds.


End file.
